Apparatus for automatically making beads



April 4, 1950 P SYNEK 2,503,178

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAKING BEADS Filed July 8, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 218 P1575? 5mm ATTORNEY April' 4, 1950 P. SYNEK 2,503,178

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAKING BEADS Filed July 8, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 .C) .4), I is. 8. (1 :0. L9 L? 362 358 INVE NTOR PETER $Y/VE/f ATTORNEY April 4, 1950 I P. SYNEK 2,503,178

' APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAKING BEADS Filed July 8, 1947 8 Shets-Sheet 4 z'0.' l0. L9 286 .0 I at 4.

INVENTOR PETA-E SY/VEK ATTORNEY April 4, 1950 P. SYNEK 2,503,178

' APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAKING BEADS Filed July 8, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 h Us] T i INVENTOR P575? SM/FK ATTORN EY April 4, 1950 P. SYNEK 8 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAKIN BEADS Filed July 8, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR PEmQ 5m s/v ATTORNEY April' 4, 1950 P. SYNEK 2,503,178

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAKING BEADS Filed July 8, 1947 i 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 4, 1950 P. SYNEK 3,

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAKING BEADS Filed July 8, 1947 V 8Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR P575? 5mm ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 4, 1950 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLy MAKING BEADS Peter Synek, New York, NY. Application July 8,1947, Serial No. 759,4

Claims. (01249-7) This invention relates to means for the manufacture of beads.

' An object of the invention is to'provide apeparatus for the manufacture of beads of glass and other materials, which shall be characterized by novel constructional features and improved operation over that shown in U. S. Patents Nos. 2,348,035 and 2,348,036.

Another object of the invention is to provide bead-j manufacturing apparatus whereby the beads may be formed by means of a process which is not only continuous, but which is highly antomatic.

Aifurther object of the invention is to provide a bead manufacturing machine in which improved means is included for holding the plastic material from which the beads are made, for applying heat intermittently thereto to plasticized end of the material in contact with a wire upon which the beads are formed. 1

Still another object of the invention is to pro- .vide a bead manufacturing machine having improved'means for feeding the wire from a reel to the position at which the bead material is placed in contact with the wire, the process by which this is done being intermittent and automatic.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bead manufacturing device which is simple in design, positive in operation, and

adapted to manufacture a large number-of beads in ashort time, and at considerable saving in costIof labor and materials. A

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following de-'- scription of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which, 1 Fig. 1. is a frontelevational view of my improved bead making machine, Fig. 2 is a right side elevational view machine shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fi .1 I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view take'r from the same plane asthat of Fig. 1, and showing in enlarged representation, the central 'porti'on'of the machine, Fig; '5. is a fragmentary elevational. view taken frointhe 'same plane as that of Fig. 2, and showing in enlarged representation, the upper'portion of the machine, a part of the view being sectioned, N Fig; 6 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 5,

of the Fig '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 5,

1 Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view takenlon line 8--8 of Fig. 3,, Fig. 9 is afragmentary sectional view taken I on line 9-9 of Fig. 4,

' n line |u :o ofFig. 11,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line ll-- -ll of Fig. 4, Fig. 12 is a-sectional view taken on line 12-42. of Fig. 11, Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on line l3'--l3 of Fig. 11, I

Fig. '14 is a sectional view taken on of Fig. 4, Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line l5-I 5 of Fig. 12, showing the plastic feed rod in retracted position out of contact with the wire,

Fig. 16 is a view similar to that of Fig. 15, but showing the plastic feed rod in lower position line my where it is in contact with the wire,

Fig. 17 is 'a top plan {view of the bead support wire with a number of-,-beads formed thereon,

and

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken on line '|8--l8 ofFig.17.

In order to understand clearly the nature of the invention and the best means for carrying it out,'reference may now be had to the drawings, in which like numerals denote similar parts throughout the several views.

My improved bead making apparatus comprises a hollow shaft 20, horizontally disposed and journaled for rotation in a pair of bearing mem bers-22 and 24, the said bearing members-being in turn mounted on an upright well 26 of a sup porting frame 28. The supporting frame 28 comprises the wall portions 30 and 32 which are adapted to rest upon a main support comprising the table member 34 and the leg portions 36.

'In accordance with my invention I provide a second hollow shaft 38 spaced from and in axial alignment with the hollow shaft 20and mounted for, rotational as "well-Ta s axial movement in the following manner. A"-uitable bearing member All 'is mounted onv the frame wall 26. in which th're'is disposed a bushing 42, hollow sleeve member M being journaled for rotation in the bushing. The sleeve. member 44 is provided at one end with-'anoutwardly extending'flange 46. An anti-frictionthrust' bearing 48 is mounted coaxially on theslee've. ,between the flange 3 and the bearing elements 40 and 42, as best seen in Fig. 12.

A clutch plate or collar 50 in the form of a disc is mounted concentrically on the hollow shaft 38, being retained thereon by a jam nut 54 threaded onto the right hand end of the shaft as seen in Fig. 12. A ring 52 is secured coaxially upon the sleeve 44 by means of a. set screw threaded radial- 1y therethrough and bearing against the underlying sleeve surface. A guide tube 64 is disposed in the bore 46 of the shaft 38, the tube also having an axial bore adapted to receive the wire easy entrance of the wire.

other will cause the chuck jaws 58 to beforced toward each other to grip the wire 60, and to the parts release the the wire upon movement of in" the opposite relative direction.

Wire guide tubes H and: H2 are disposed in the axial bore 4 of the hollow shaft 20, as best seen in Fig. 12, these tubes being axially bored to receive the wire 50. cut through the shaft 20 between the inner ends of" the guide tubes I I0 and '2, to receive slidably wire gripping shoes H8 and I20 which are retained in the slot by acollar I24 which is mounted concentrically on the shaft 20. wire gripping shoes '8 and I20 are pressed toward each other by such means as a spring I26 disposed in a radial bore formed" in the collar I24 and retained therein by a plug I28 which is threaded into the bore. abled to yieldingly grip the wire I50 passing therebetween.

A supply of the wire 60 is contained on a spool 66- rotatably' mounted on a forked bracket 68,

the said bracket in turn being fixed to a-multiple L pulley member for rotation therewith, the pulley being in turn fixed to the hollow shaft for rotation therewith; It -will thusbe seen that when the shaft 20 is: rotated; the spool 65 wilr rotate therewith to cause axial rotation of the wire 60 within the hollow shafts 20 and 38 respectively.

The following means are employed for causing rotational movement of the hollow' shaft, 20. Jburnaled in suitable bearings i2; attached to the legs; 36 is a horizontally disposed main driving shaft 14: on which there is mounted for rotation therewith a multiple pulley--16 in alignment with the pulley I0v and connectedttherewith by a belt 182. from any suitable source of power, such as a motor 80, secured tothe underside. of the frame table 34. The motor. may be coupled to the shaft through belts 32 and 8.4 encircling respectively the pulleys iii and 83: secured on the motor and the shaft 14, and also the. pulleys 86 and 88.

The: latter pulleys 86 and 88 are secured on the:rotatable connecting shaft 90,, which is journaled in suitable bearings carried'by the frame. of the machine, asbest seen in. Figs. 1. and'2- .The' following. means are provided for causing A diametral slot N 6 is The The shoes are thus en- The main driving shaft I4 may be driven 4 from the periphery thereof and adapted to slidably receive therein a pair of correspondingly positioned pins I08, the said pins being in turn fixedly attached to the cooperating clutch disc 50 which is secured to the hollow shaft 38 for rotation therewith.

The wire 60 projects beyond the chuck 58 and is passed through a Wire guiding tube I38 secured to a. bracket I32; carriedby the frame 26, the tube being in' axial alignment with the hollow shafts 3i and 29 and adapted to receive the Wire therefrom. The wire protrudes out of the tube hasan axial bore toreceive theleft hand end of the shaft 20 thebore being enlarged as. shownin 12.110 receive the. flange, I02 on. the. shaft, theipressure. platev being; thus secured. rigidly to theshaft for. rotationtherewith andheldin place by means of screwsI 04. "Imepl'ate'94. isprovided with grooves or recesses I06 extending inwardly I into the...path. of. the material from which the beads are to be made, such material bein shown. in. the drawings as a glass rod I34, but which it is understood may be in any other suitable-form:

In accordance with my invention, as hereinbefore' described, I provide the following means for supporting the glass rod 534, heating a portion of the rodtoplasticize the same and'bringing the plastic portion thereof in'to intimate contact with the rotating wire 56 to form a bead I36. The glass rod 34 mounted in such manner that thetip 3511 thereof is normally out of contact with and slightly spaced from the wire 60. The rod 334- may extend through a brake tube I 38 extending through an opening I40 in an elevating housing or arm I42; being retained therein by set screws 544 shown in Fig. 15.

A brake shoe 546, as seenin Fig. 12, extends slidably into an opening formed in the wall of the tube I33 and through a slot I48 in the arm I42, so as-to bear against the glass rod I34, thus yieldingly retaining it in position relative to the wire 50. The brake shoe I46 is carried on the inner end of the push plunger I50 which extends through the axial radial bore I52 in the elevating" tube I54, being encircled by the spring I56 Whichthus presses the plungerand shoe 40 inwardly against the glass rod. The plunger has a handle I53 which may be grasped to pull the shoe I46 away from the glass rod, freeing the latter for adjustment of its position, and also during the insertion of a new glass'rod.

Thebushing IE0 is threaded into the bore I52 to bear against the spring, whereby the degree of pressure by the shoe on the glass rod is regulated. A number of gas burners I62 of any suitable design are supported on a fixed bracket carried by the machine frame in such position as to throw their flamesinwardly toward and directly at the tip I36 of the glass rod when the rod tip is in its position shown in Fig. 16. The heat of the flames will plasticize the said tip I36 so as to cause the same to flow toward the wire 60 to contactively engage the same and form a bead as the wire rotates.

When sufiicient material has been drawn off the rod to form a bead, the rod I34 is then moved upwardly'to the position shown in Fig. 15, out of contact with the wire'fiil. The gas burners may be supplied with gas' from any suitable source of supply through gas pipes controlled by suitable valves. It will be noted that the gas flames are. directed so as not to affect the wire 60,thus preventing sagging or breaking of the wire.

The feeding of the glass rod in. the. above manner,. may be accomplished. automatically, as described below. Tothis end I provide a cam roller I64, rotatably mounted on a pin Iiificarried on. the ,lower end. of arm I68. thev upper' end of which is pivotally secured'to the outer. end' .of the arm I42 by means of a pin I10, the 'pin'beln g secured against withdrawal by a set screw I12.

-.I'he cam roller I64 is designed to ride uponthe rim of a suitably designed cam I14.

The cam I14 is mounted on a cam shaft 116 for rotation therewith, the shaft being journaled in bearings I18 secured to the frame table 34, by means of suitable brackets. To retain the arm I68 in upright position, and at the same time to guide the same in its movement, thereis provided a slotted aperture I80 in the upper end of the bracket I82 which is mounted on the frame I table 34, to permit vertical reciprocal movement of the said arm I68. A spring I69 is secured between the arm' I68 and the bracket I82 to mainftain the roller I64 in contact with the cam I14.

As hereinabove described, after a bead has been made, the wire is automatically moved axially for a predetermined distance so that it will be in proper position for the making of a second bead, !after which it is again axially moved to be in "position for a third bead and so onuntil any desired number of beads are manufactured. I ihave provided the following mechanism for effecting such intermittent axial movement of f the wire, which is so synchronized with respect tothe movement of the arm I68, caused by the cam' I14 and roller I64, that the wire 60 will be "axially advanced while the glass rod is in its :upper position shown in Fig. 15, after which the rod tip I36 will be automatically lowered into the path of the flames issuing from the gas burners I62 and after being heated thereby to plastic state, brought into contact with the rotating wire 60 as shown in Fig. 16, to form a endof the lever I90 is a cam roller 200a designed 'to cooperate with the cam I86. The opposite end of the lever I88 from that of the roller I 98 is provided with a forked portion 200, the prongs of "which straddle t e shaft 38 and sleeve 44. The

forked portion 200 is provided with a pair of Y abutment members 202 which are designed to be adjacent to and abut the clutch plate 50, as shown in Figs. 11 and 13.

Similarly the lever I90 is provided with a single prong extension 204 which extends around'the shaft 20, a pressure roller 206 being rotatably mounted on a pin threaded into the extension 204 'and designed to lie adjacent to and abut the 'collar I24. In accordance with my invention, the cams I84 and I86 are so synchronized with respect to the levers I88 and I90 that when the glass rod I 34 is away from and out of contact :with the wire 60, the said wire will be axially moved into a position for the making of another bead in the following manner.

When the cam shaft I16 is rotated, the cam Froller 200 in sliding from the low to the high point on the cam I86, will caus'e the portion 204 "of the lever I90 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 12,30 slidably move 'the collar I24 on the shaft 20'. The shoes H8 and I20, gripping the wire 60 therebetween, will 'draw the wire in a leftward direction as seen Fig. '12, unwinding a corresponding portion of the wire from the spool-66. The surfaces" of movement of the wire 60, or in other words,

the shoes which bear against the wire may be so formed as to facilitate the gripping action during the movement of the wire in the leftward direction, but having little or no gripping action during the return of the collar I24 in a rightward direction to initial position after having advanced the wire.

My apparatus is so designed that at the same time that the lever I90 is about to start to advance the wire as just described, the forked upper portion 200 of the other lever I88 is caused to be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by means'of the cam I84 and roller I98, to permit the springs 288, surrounding the pins I08, to urge the shaft 38 to slidably move toward theleft as seen in Fig. 12. .This will cause the chuck 58 to be relieved of its compression force from thesleeve 44, to thereby permit free sliding movement of the wire 60 therethrough in a leftward direction.

U-pon continued rotation of the cam shaft I16, the roller 280a again will reach the low area on the cam I86 and the collar I24 will be restored to its original position shown in Fig. 12, by means of a spring 2I0 surrounding the shaft 20, and interposed between the bearing 24 and the sliding collar I24. At the same time the roller I98 will have reached the high point on the cam I84 to cause the clutch disc 50 to move in the direction of the arrow 2I2, that is, to the right as seen in Fig. 12, and against the action of the springs 208, and the chuck 58 will again have gripped the wire 60 for rotation therewith.

The following means are provided for causing f the synchronous rotational movement of the cam shaft I16 from the main driving shaft 14. Journaled in the supports 38 and 32 is an auxiliary shaft 2I4 which is driven from the main driving shaft 14 by means of a pulley 2I6 mounted on the shaft 2M, and a pulley 2I8 mounted on the shaft 14, the said pulleys being interconnected by a belt 220. Mounted on the shaft 2M for rotation therewith is a worm gear 222 in mesh with a similar gear 224 mounted on a shaft Mounted on the shaft 226 for simultaneous rotation with the gear 224 is a second gear 228 in mesh with a gear 230 mounted on the shaft 232.

The gear 230 is also in mesh with a gear 234 mounted on the shaft 236. The shafts 226, 232 and 236 are supported by the frame 26 of the machine. Fixed to the shaft 236 for simultaneous rotation wit-hthe gear 234 is a second worm gear 238 in mesh with a corresponding worm gear 240 mounted on the cam shaft I16 for rotation there- 'the cam shaft I16 will be rotated through the chain of gearing 2 2, 224, 228, 236, 234, 238 and 240. At the same time the shaft 26 will be rotated through the pulleys 10 and 16 and the belt 18, while the shaft 38 may be simultaneously rotated with the shaft 20 by means of the cooperating clutch membersfiii' and 94 as hereinbefore described. V

It is also further seen from the above described description, that the amount of advance the spacing between the beads I36 on the wire,

I zmcuntthe same for :lateral sliding movement in a bracket 2612, said bracket being slidably mounted in the opening 2 i3in-the frazne =26, 'ad- .justment of the position of the pivot shaft being eifected by screw member .244 passing through an opening 236 in the bracket and threaded through the shaft. The position-of :the bracket is adjusted by loosening the fastening screw 25!) and'its clamp 252 and shifting the bracket laterally.

The screw 236 is provided with an enlarged knurled head, so that when the head is turned,

the pivot shaft 'willbe moved laterally by means of :its threaded shank.

In accordance with my invention, I :also provide means whereby the glass rod I34 may be automatically fed a predetermined distance in a direction toward the wire I36 each time the said rod reciprocates to compensate for the amount that the rod has been shortened due to drawing oil of the glass material fromthe rod I34 to make a bead. The construction will'become apparent from the following description.

.As shown in 4, l and 13, a worm 253 is mounted on the cam shafti "#6 for rotation therewith, and intermeshes with a worm gear 256 which is mounted on the vertical shaft 258 for rotation therewith, the vertical shaft being jour- .naled in bearings formed in a bracket 26!] secured to the table 34 by screws 262. A variable speed disc 263 is mounted on the upperend of the shaft 253 for rotation therewith, so that rotation of the'cam shaft H6 causes the rotation of the disc plate 26 An upright bracket 266 is secured to the frame table 34 by means of screws 268. As shown best in Figs. 3 and 11, a bracket 21!] is secured to the face of the bracket 266, the upper arm 212 of the bracket. A traversing rod 214, which is threaded at 216, is journaled at one end in a bearing formed in the arm 2'12 of the bracket 219, and has its other end portion journaled in a bearing 280 formed in a bracket plate 282 secured to the frame wall 26 by screws 284. A forked guide rider 286 has a lateral bore which is threaded to receive the threaded portion of the rod 214. A friction roller or driven wheel 288 is rotatably disposed between the prongs of the rider 286, with its periphery riding upon the upper plane surface of the drive disk 264, so as to be rotated thereby. The roller wheel 288 is mounted on a shaft 290 for rotation therewith, the shaft 290 being journaledat one end in a bearing aperture formed in the plate 282, so that rotation of the disk 264 causes rotation of the shaft 296, the speed of the shaft 296 being adjusted by turning the hand wheel 292toadjust the diametral position of the driven roller 288 on the disc 264.

A gear 294 which is mounted on the shaft 296 for rotation therewith, meshes with .a gear 296 which is mounted on a vertical shaft 298 for rotation therewith, the shaft 298 being journaled .in vertical bearings formed in the brackets 218,

366 and 392 carried by the support bracket 266. A position adjusting clamp 304 has a vertical bore366 to .slidably receive a vertical guide rod 368 which is secured in openings formed in brackets 3i6and 362 on the frame 266, the rods 2,98 and 338 thus being'mutually parallel.

The clamp 364 has a recess 3l2 in which .is slidably disposed a shoe 3! which is arcuately recessed and threaded at 3I6 to bear against and engage with the threads on the rod 298,. being biased into engagement therewith by a spring 3I6, as best seen in Figs. 5' and '7. A toggle lever 32.0 is pivotally carried by the clamp 3M .in'such manner that when the lever is actuated by being bent from normally extended position,

the shoe 3|4 is pulled to the right against "the spring action, to disengage the clamp from the threaded rod 298, at which time the vertical position of the clamp may be adjusted, byslid- :ing it up or down on the guide rod 368. Upon release of the toggle lever, the threads of Ithe shoe 3| 4 once again engage with the threaded :rod 298.,

It will be apparent that as the rod 298 turns iinza suitable direction about its vertical axis, the clamp 304 will traversethe rod 368 in a downward direction. .A support arm 322 is secured atone end to the traveling clamp 304 to travel therewith, an intermediate portion of the arm 322 being pivotallysecured to a guide shoe 323 bymeans of a pin 324, the shoe being slidablerin a slot 326 formed in a guide plate 328 secured in a vertical position to arms 330 which are integral with the support bracket 266.

A U-shaped bracket 332 having up er and lower plates 334 and 336 interconnected atone end by a vertical web is secured by the web the upper'end of the arm 322 so asto be movable therewith in a vertical direction. An aperture 338 is formed in the lower plate 336, to receive theupper end of the glass rod I34, as best shown .in Figs. '1, 2, 5 and 6. An upper pair of springs 340 is disposed side by side across the upper surface of'the aperture 338, as shownin Figs. i'an'd 6, being secured thereat by screws 342 extending into the lower plate 336. A similar pair of lower springs 334 is disposed side by side across the lower surface of the .aperture 338, but atiright angles to the upper springs 346, being similarly secured in position bv screws.

It will be seen that the glass rod I34 may extend upwardly between the two lower springs, and then throughthe space between the twoupper springs, so as to be frictionally embraced rod I34 between the upper and lower positions shown in Figs. 15 and 16. it is apparent that glass from the lower tip of the glass rod will be constantly drawn off onto the wire 66 to make beads, and that it is necessary to constantly lower the glass rod I 34 ust a little bit further each time it moves downwards. in order to compensate for the loss of glass at its tip I36 by which the rod is thus shortened. It will be apparent from the above description that this is accomplished by the mechanism carried on the support bracket 266 as just described.

Thus, each time 'the glass rod I34 is elevated :during the upstroke of the lever 168, it'will be found that the continuous rotation of the threaded feed rod 298 has caused the travel limiting bracket 332 to be moved'downward' a little lower than it was at the time of the last upward motion of the lever I68 and the glass rod. .Asia result, although the glass rod slides upwards easily between the springs 340 and 344, its upper tip macs-are cannot pass upwards beyond, thanew lower, position of the upper platform 334 of the bracket Andsince the bracket 332 will not yield upwards, the glass rod. must slide downwards a little, past the shoe I46 shown in Fig. 12 which yields slippingly for this purpose, the glass rod thus beingprogressively fed toward the wire 68 more-and-more as its lower tip is consumed and its-total-length is shortened during the process of bead making. When a new glass rod is to be installed, to replace anold one that has been consumed,,the toggle handle 320 is bent as. described to withdraw the shoe 3I4 from contact with the threaded rod 298 of Figs. 6 and '7, and

the lever 322 raised to an upper position, to accommodate the longer length of the new glass rod, the shoe I46 being also retracted byknob I58 to allow the new glass rod to be received, as seen in Fig. 12.

An upper guide rod 3| I extends slidably through an iopening 3I3 in the bracket 362, as shown in Fig. 5, with its lower end threadedly secured to the clamp 384, the rod ill I thus moving with the clamp.

It will thus be seen that a large number of beads may be made successively in an automatic manner, the beads and the wire on which they are formed being fed in a leftward direction as seen in Fig. 12, through a guide tube 358 carried on the bracket I80, by means of a clamp 352, the beads being fed thence into any convenient receptacle or onto a receiving bench.

The glass rod guide tube I38 extends slidably upwards into a bore 354 formed in a housing 356, an arm 358 of which is so formed as to slide in a groove 360 formed in the upper surface of the extension 338 of the bracket 266. A traversing rod 362. having a handwheel 364 at one end for turning the same, is threaded through a bore in the upward extension 368 of the arm 358, the rod 362 being journaled in bearings 366 formed in the extension 338 of the stationary bracket 266 and confined to axial rotation only by collars carried by the rod 362. It will be seen that the position of the housing 356, the tube I38, and hence the glass rod I34 may be varied relative to the wire 60, by

turning the hand wheel 364, moving the glass rod to the right or left as seen in Fig. 3.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in size, shape, material and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. In a bead making machine of the class described having a frame, and wherein one end of a glass rod is heated to plasticise the same after which it is brought into intimate contact with an axially rotating wire long enough to form a bead and thereafter withdrawn, means for causing said rod to automatically advance toward the wire prior to each contact therewith, said lastnamed means comprising stop means disposed in the path of the upper end of the rod, said stop means being so supported by the frame as to cause the rod during its upward travel to strike against the undersurface of said stop means, and means for continuously moving said stop means in a downward direction, so that each successive time the rod is to strike thereagainst, the stop means is in a lower position than during the preceding striking movement, whereby the rod is pushed downwardly by the unyielding stop means by a predetermined distance, and whereby the progressive consumption of the rod duringthe bead makingprocess is compensated for. v;.

2. In a bead. makingv machine of the class described having a frame, andwherein one end of a glass rod. isjheated to plasticise the same after which itis brought into intimate contact with an axiallyrotating wire long enough to form a bead and thereafter withdrawn, means for causing said'rod to automatically advance toward the wire prior to each contact therewith, said lastvnamed means comprising a support for said, rod constructed to yield so as to permit said rod to :be pushed downwardly toward the wire under upper limit of its oscillatory travel the stop means is interposed in the way to block movement of the upper end of the rod to a position higher than the stop means, the rod being thus pushed downward by the stop means in its yielding support, and whereby progressive consumption of the rod is compensated for.

3. In a bead making machine of the class described having a frame, and wherein one end of a glass rod is heated to plasticise the same after which it is brought into intimate contact with an axially rotating wire long enough to form a bead and thereafter withdrawn, means for causing said rod to automatically advance toward the wire prior to each contact therewith, said last named means comprising a main bracket supported on said frame, a stop member carried by said main bracket and disposed in the path of the upper end of the rod whereby the said rod end strikes against the stop member during its upward travel, whereby the rod is thus automatically advanced toward the wire to compensate for said progressive consumption thereof.

4. In a bead making machine of the class described having a frame, and wherein one end of a glass rod is heated to plasticise the same after which it is brought into intimate contact with an axially rotating wire long enough to form a bead and thereafter withdrawn, means for causing said rod to automatically advance toward the wire prior to each contact therewith, said last named means comprising a main bracket supported on said frame, a guide rod supported by said bracket, a traversing clamp movable on said guide rod along an axis parallel to that of the bead making rod, a stop member carried by said traversing clamp and disposed in the path of the upper end of the said bead making rod so as to be struck by the said upper end of the rod during the upward travel of the rod, and means for continuously moving the stop member in a downward direction toward said wire, so that upon each upward movement of the bead making rod its upper end encounters the stop member in a lower position than the preceding position thereof, and whereby upon striking against the unyielding stop the bead making rod is pushed downwards in its slippable support toward said wire, and whereby the rod is thus fed toward said wire to compensate for the consumption thereof during the bead making process.

5. In a bead making machine of the class describeii having a frame, and wherein one end of a glass rod is heated to plasticise the same after which it is brought into intimate contact with an axially rotating wire long enough to form -a.-'-bead-and thereafterwithdrawn, means 'for causingsaid rod to automatically advance toward the wire prior to each contact therewith, said last named means comprising a main bracket supported on said frame, a guide rod supported by sa'id bracket, a traversing clamp movableon-said gu'ide rod along an axis parallel to that of the bead making rod, a stop support lever carried by said clamp, a stop member carried by said step -support lever and disposed in the path of the upper end of said bead making rod so as to be struck by the upper end of the rod during the upward travel of the rod, a traversing screw mem- *ber' journaled in said main bracket with its axis parallel to that of the said guide rod, releasable threaded means on said clamp for threadedly engaging said traversing screw member; said screw member being continuously rotatable :dur-

REFERENCES CIEIED "The fdilowi-ng references are of record "in "the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date sSynek May 2, 19144 Number 

